by carmen | Feb 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
but downtown Vancouver was magical last night.
What was less magical was a line up to get into the Bay. Seriously. We were thrilled to go with our friends for some late night wandering and trinket shopping, but a line up?
I first sought out the “real” Cowichan sweaters and was disappointed by the sad messed up pile of 4 sweaters. There was a display of designers who had made coats from the Point Blankets and they were gorgeous. In between every few aisles was the much coveted little creature key chains. Something in a price range for everyone willing to part with their money. No, we didn’t buy anything.
I did receive an Olympic pin from the grocery store last week for buying a litre of milk from an Olympic sponsor dairy company. It’s in my purse somewhere.
Out to Deep Cove today to get away from all the “fun”.
by carmen | Feb 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
While John and Alicia watched Canada mop the floor with Denmark…..I had a little noncompetition. Watching highlights of the games and enjoying a great Turkish coffee and some knitting before Roxie and I headed out for some Olympic shopping.
She picked up some amazing gear and my shopping (since I never really shop) took on an entirely different twist. A new piece of Lagostino cookware, some funky mixing bowls, a cat bed and bamboo salad forks. Having live in guests has made me realize that I have the kitchen gear of a starving university student.
I had an order of fleece arrive yesterday. So I will definitely be at the studio spinning while the girls are at hockey today. Tomorrow’s a free day and we are looking for something to do..Any suggestions? We’ve already ruled out traveling to the Island.
by carmen | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
The Olympic thing is not helping the production like I thought it would. Perhaps it is having guests and keeping the house clean.
I did make a half hearted attempt at an Olympic event yesterday by going to the studio for the entire day to spin. I spun some singles. One I am attacking right now to knit a hat. Some fun plied art yarn happened as well. It’s all at the studio drying now. But none of my work would really be medal worthy in terms of volume.
Today I am tackling some Olympic site seeing while John goes to his first Curling game. I will give myself one more medal opportunity on Sunday. Now to figure out the event.
by carmen | Feb 17, 2010 | Uncategorized
My deadline for jury pieces reached an all time freak out yesterday, when I decided that my premiere scarf was not going to cut it. Up at the crack of dawn and down to the studio, I looked for another piece that would work for jurying. Perfectly satisfied, I came home to finish my CV to send with the package.
The more I looked at the scarf I rejected, the more I felt it would work with a few more changes…..Only 3 hours left for shipping to meet the deadline and I am completely reworking this. Not only did I not deserve a medal, I should be stripped of the ones I have…….like someone who has failed drug testing…It’s a sickness really.
The results were worth it but I am spent.
I need a new event for tomorrow. Can I take it easy on myself and make it finishing a custom order? We’ll see. I am saving Thursday for my spinning marathon. As it is, it will be a full group. I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to this. There will be new faces and that can only enhance the dynamic.
Here is the box pre post office. Thank you kind postal lady for making the Canada Post guy wait for my parcel. Talk about cutting it to the wire.
Okay…so one custom order to finish? Two hats. Bronze….Two orders finished…Silver….Custom dye yarn as well…..now that could be worth a crafter’s gold.
by carmen | Feb 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
Well I knew John would be able to make it happen. Gold, baby. He retrieved our friends without incident and delivered them in under 1 hr to our door. My hero.
The spare room challenge left me exhausted and with a bronze to show for my efforts. The steam cleaning did not happen. And I was so close…..I can live with a bronze…more exciting however is a room that can actually be used.
Valentine’s Day is a great way to enjoy company. John and the girls had been out shopping and sight seeing on Granville Island while I was working in the studio and when I came home the house was filled with tulips and roses.
I haven’t even begun to work on my most crucial event. Jury piece completion. Tomorrow is going to be excruciating. And this is not about medal placement. It’s about whether or not I get to be in a show so for once, no f**ing around. I will still manage to fit in a quick visit to the Athlete’s Village tomorrow before heading off to the studio.
It will be a long day but an inspired one. Nothing is more inspiring than a fire under your ass.
by carmen | Feb 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
At this pace I will be tied with the Jamaican team for medal standings. I have never worked through such a pile of grief in my life. I found several intriguing things in and amongst the flotsam (wondering if I should give myself a medal for the excavation alone).
- a collection of Turkish language tapes.
- a piece of jewelry I thought I had lost forever
- my old MelonHead labels
- a plastic glow in the dark bat necklace?
It gets weirder, but I think you get my drift.
I have only completed 7 out of the 8 hats and didn’t get them to the store. I also left the house in my pj’s for a large coffee and a newspaper and skulked back home to get my sorry ass back to work. I’m feeling the pressure. Good thing I’m not representing a country.
I hope Alicia and Roxanne can find it in their hearts to forgive me. I wanted the welcome basket stuffed with Olympic souvenirs and now it will just be clean towels. Now to clean out my closet. I guess I’m not really not going to be using the exercise ball in the near future and can commit to deflating it.
John wants to go tomorrow’s event alone. It is the airport. I think I’ll let him. It may be our family’s only chance for gold.
What was less magical was a line up to get into the Bay. Seriously. We were thrilled to go with our friends for some late night wandering and trinket shopping, but a line up?
I did receive an Olympic pin from the grocery store last week for buying a litre of milk from an Olympic sponsor dairy company. It’s in my purse somewhere. 
